Barkley’s comments on Nash show his short memory

The NBA All-Star reserves were announced on Thursday, and
Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns was among those named to
the Western Conference roster.

It didn’t take long for one of the most prevalent
mouthpieces for the NBA to chime in his thoughts about
Nash’s inclusion.

Former Suns great Charles Barkley spoke up about the
selections on Thursday’s edition of NBA on TNT.
Here’s the way it
went down with co-host Ernie Johnson, who asked Barkley
about Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, who was also awarded a roster
spot.

Barkley: He shouldn’t have made the All-Star team, him
or Steve Nash should not have made the All-Star team,
plain and simple.

Johnson: Why should Steve Nash not make the All-Star team?

Barkley: Because he’s not playing like an All-Star. First
of all, the Phoenix Suns are 11-14, they’re nowhere even
close to the playoffs. Kyle Lowry, playing for the
Houston Rockets, they have the number four record in the
Western Conference. Steve Nash, I got love for him, but
he’s not having an All-Star year.

Johnson: He leads the league in assists and is shooting
56%, the best shooting percentage. (Barkley tries to
interrupt, but Johnson counters) You can’t just disregard
him, Chuck. So all you’re going to do is look at it and
say “they’ve got a losing record, get him out of here.”

Kenny Smith: I do that.

Barkley: Yeah, we do that.

Oh, the convenience of a short memory.

During his illustrious career, Charles Barkley was an NBA
All-Star eleven times. Three
times, he was selected despite his team having a losing
record at the All-Star break. In two of those seasons
(1987-88 and 1991-92), Barkley’s Philadelphia teams failed
to reach the postseason.

In 1987-88, Barkley had an amazing first half of the
season in which he averaged 28 points and 11 rebounds per
game for an under-.500 Philadelphia team. He made it to
his second All-Star Game as an Eastern Conference reserve.
Using Barkley’s own criteria, Jack Sikma, who had decent
numbers (18 pts, 9 reb, 95% FT shooting) on a better
Milwaukee team, would have been a
better choice.

I ask you, basketball fan, would you rather watch Charles
Barkley or Jack Sikma play in an All-Star game?

That’s what I thought.

I’ll ask another question of you, hoops aficionado, would
you rather watch Steve Nash or Kyle Lowry setting up the
best athletes in the game for high-flying dunks?

Kyle Lowry plays on a better team than Steve Nash does.
But even though Nash is 13 years older than Lowry, the
only thing the Rockets’ guard does better at this point is
play defense
— an ingredient that isn’t even thought about at the All-
Star Game.

This is not meant as a dis of Kyle Lowry, because if he
continues the vast
improvement he’s displayed over the last two seasons,
he’ll play a lot of NBA All-Star Games. This year, he’ll
watch one of the all-time great point guards go in his
place. There’s no shame in that.

One of the reasons we love Charles Barkley is because he
tells us exactly what’s on his mind, no matter how
outlandish it is.